Surah Ibrahim >> Currently viewing Surah Ibrahim Ayat 4 (14:4)

Surah Ibrahim Ayat 4 in Arabic Text

وَمَآ أَرۡسَلۡنَا مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلَّا بِلِسَانِ قَوۡمِهِۦ لِيُبَيِّنَ لَهُمۡۖ فَيُضِلُّ ٱللَّهُ مَن يَشَآءُ وَيَهۡدِي مَن يَشَآءُۚ وَهُوَ ٱلۡعَزِيزُ ٱلۡحَكِيمُ
Wa maaa arsalnaa mir Rasoolin illaa bilisaani qawmihee liyubaiyina lahum fa yudillul laahu mai yashaaa’u wa yahdee mai yashaaa’; wa Huwal ‘Azeezul Hakeem

English Translation

Here you can read various translations of verse 4

Sahih International
And We did not send any messenger except [speaking] in the language of his people to state clearly for them, and Allah sends astray [thereby] whom He wills and guides whom He wills. And He is the Exalted in Might, the Wise.

Yusuf Ali
We sent not a messenger except (to teach) in the language of his (own) people, in order to make (things) clear to them. Now Allah leaves straying those whom He pleases and guides whom He pleases: and He is Exalted in power, full of Wisdom.

Abul Ala Maududi
Never have We sent a Messenger but he has addressed his people in their language that he may fully expound his Message to them. (And after the Message is expounded), Allah lets go astray whomsoever He wills, and guides to the Right Way whomsoever He wills. He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.

Muhsin Khan
And We sent not a Messenger except with the language of his people, in order that he might make (the Message) clear for them. Then Allah misleads whom He wills and guides whom He wills. And He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.

Pickthall
And We never sent a messenger save with the language of his folk, that he might make (the message) clear for them. Then Allah sendeth whom He will astray, and guideth whom He will. He is the Mighty, the Wise.

Dr. Ghali
And in no way have We sent any Messenger except with the tongue of his people, that he may make (the message) evident for them. Then Allah leads into error whomever He decides and guides whomever He decides; and He is The Ever-Mighty, The Ever-Wise.

Abdel Haleem
We have never sent a messenger who did not use his own people’s language to make things clear for them. But still God leaves whoever He will to stray, and guides whoever He will: He is the Almighty, the All Wise.

Muhammad Junagarhi
ہم نے ہر ہر نبی کو اس کی قومی زبان میں ہی بھیجا ہے تاکہ ان کے سامنے وضاحت سے بیان کر دے۔ اب اللہ جسے چاہے گمراه کر دے، اور جسے چاہے راه دکھا دے، وه غلبہ اور حکمت واﻻ ہے

Quran 14 Verse 4 Explanation

For those looking for commentary to help with the understanding of Surah Ibrahim ayat 4, we’ve provided two Tafseer works below. The first is the tafseer of Abul Ala Maududi, the second is of Ibn Kathir.

Ala-Maududi

(14:4) Never have We sent a Messenger but he has addressed his people in their language that he may fully expound his Message to them.[5] (And after the Message is expounded), Allah lets go astray whomsoever He wills, and guides to the Right Way whomsoever He wills.[6] He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.[7]


5. This implies two things: First, Allah sent down His message in the language of the people from among whom a Prophet was raised so that they might not have any excuse left that they could not understand the language of the message. Secondly, this ruled out the presumption that a Messenger was ever given the message in a different language merely for the sake of a miracle. For Allah considered it more important to make the people understand the message and guide them rightly than to satisfy their curiosity. Obviously the purpose could best be served only if the message was sent down to them in their own language by their Prophet and not in any other.

6. That is, although the Messenger conveys the message in the mother tongue of the people, which is understood by everyone of them, yet all of them are not guided aright. This happens because of the fact that all of those who understand a message do not necessarily accept it. For it is entirely with Allah to show guidance by means of His message to anyone He wills and to let go astray anyone in spite of it.

7. As Allah is All-Powerful, no one is able by oneself to get guidance or to go astray, for none is completely independent but is under the power of Allah. But as He is All-Wise, He does not use His power blindly so as to show guidance to anyone He wills and to let go astray anyone He desires without rhyme or reason. In fact, the one who gets guidance from Him gets it on merit and the one who is let go astray is deprived of guidance because he himself deliberately chooses deviation.

Ibn-Kathir

4. And We sent not a Messenger except with the language of his people, in order that he might make (the Message) clear for them. Then Allah misleads whom He wills and guides whom He wills. And He is the All-Mighty, the All-Wise.


Every Prophet was sent with the Language of His People; Guidance or Misguidance follows the Explanation

Allah is Kind and Compassionate with His creation, sending Messengers to them from among them and speaking their language, so that they are able to understand the Message that the Messengers were sent with. Allah said next,

﴿فَيُضِلُّ اللَّهُ مَن يَشَآءُ وَيَهْدِى مَن يَشَآءُ﴾

(Then Allah misleads whom He wills and guides whom He wills.) after the proof and evidence have been established for the people, Allah misguides whom He wills from the path of guidance and guides whom He wills to the truth,

﴿وَهُوَ الْعَزِيزُ﴾

(And He is the All-Mighty,) whatever He wills occurs and whatever He does not will never occurs,

﴿الْحَكِيمُ﴾

(the All-Wise.) in His decisions, misleading those who deserve to be misled and guiding those who deserve guidance. This is from Allah’s wisdom with His creation, every Prophet He sent to a people spoke their language and everyone of these Prophets were only sent to their people. Muhammad bin `Abdullah, Allah’s Messenger, peace and blessings be upon him, was sent to all people. It is recorded in the Two Sahihs that Jabir said that the Messenger of Allah said,

«أُعْطِيتُ خَمْسًا لَمْ يُعْطَهُنَّ أَحَدٌ مِنَ الْأَنْبِيَاءِ قَبْلِي:نُصِرْتُ بِالرُّعْبِ مَسِيرَةَ شَهْرٍ، وَجُعِلَتِ لِيَ الْأَرْضُ مَسْجِدًا وَطَهُورًا، وَأُحِلَّتْ لِيَ الْغَنَائِمُ وَلَمْ تُحَلَّ لِأَحَدٍ قَبْلِي، وَأُعْطِيتُ الشَّفَاعَةَ، وَكَانَ النَّبِيُّ يُبْعَثُ إِلَى قَوْمِهِ خَاصَّةً وَبُعِثْتُ إِلَى النَّاسِ عَامَّة»

(I have been given five things which were not given to Anyone else before me. Allah made me victorious by awe, (by His frightening my enemies) for a distance of one month’s journey. The earth has been made for me (and for my followers) a place for worship and a purifier. The war booty has been made lawful for me and it was not lawful for anyone else before me. I have been given the right of Intercession (on the Day of Resurrection). Every Prophet used to be sent to his nation only, but I have been sent to all mankind.) Allah said,

﴿قُلْ يَأَيُّهَا النَّاسُ إِنِّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلَيْكُمْ جَمِيعًا﴾

(Say: “O mankind! Verily, I am sent to you all as the Messenger of Allah…) ﴿7:158﴾

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